Colorful "How to Train Your Dragon 2" has as much heart as the first
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| Hiccup, Toothless and the whole gang are back |
Disney look out. The winning new Dreamworks animated "How to Train Your Dragon 2" is as much fun as the original 2009 film with as much sharp, crisp and detailed animation that's clearly on the par with anything that Pixar might turn out and is the animated romp of the summer for sure. This one picks up 5 years after the first film, as Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and his dragon Toothless must battle an insane conqueror named Drago (Djimon Hounsou) whose goal is to overtake the world through controlling the dragons. Along the way, Hiccup is reunited with his longlost mother (Cate Blanchett) as he must prove his worth to his father Stoick (Gerard Butler) and the rest of the kingdom. Directed by Dean DeBlois, who handled the first "Dragon" film, the touching, fun "How to Train Your Dragon 2" is one of those rare sequels that's as good, and in some ways, surpasses the original, at least in terms of animated and CG quality. Dreamworks clearly spent a lot to money on "Dragon 2," and every penny shows in the richness and color that bursts on screen, with a solid story that expounds on the characters of the original (and never fear, a third film is coming), even if some of it becomes a little predictable by the final act. Comedian Baruchel is an inspired voice talent, and he's well supported by Butler, Hounsou and especially Blanchett, though the movie is nearly stolen by Kristen Wiig with the best lines and scenes in a small part. The dragons are as colorful as the humans, and they upstage the humans frequently; in addition to the handsome visuals, the film is elegantly scored and energetically paced to keep the young set interested. The vastly entertaining, funny "How to Train Your Dragon" is a winner and if you enjoyed the first one, you'll definitely get a kick out of this one too. A must-see for families and kids.
Wes's Grade: B+
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